Aquafun

April 4, 2017

The Concept

The Aquafun is a personal watercraft equipped with a hydrofoil that’s designed to be driven during three seasons instead of one. It would be based on a modified Sea-Doo platform and would include a transparent canopy to protect riders from cold wind and water.

Origin of the Idea

Spring is coming, and those who love the water are itching to get back on it. I thought it would be really fun to ride on lakes or rivers even though the air is cold. We recently worked on a similar idea, but this time we added a hydrofoil so the vehicle could go faster or compensate some of the energy lost to aerodynamics.

The Aquafun name was introduced by my late uncle Germain Bombardier, who worked on early versions of personal watercrafts in the 70’s equipped with outboard engines.

How It Works

The Aquafun would work similarly to other PWCs propelled by a jet turbine, except that its cockpit would be designed to incorporate a strong, transparent canopy to protect riders from cold winds and water. The Hydrofoil system is inspired by the works of Kotaro Horiuchi, a great Japanese inventor who did extensive studies on PWC with hydrofoils in the 1950s.

There should be enough space inside the cockpit so that the pilot and passenger feel at ease when riding. A helmet and a harness should be worn to prevent you from hitting your head on the side canopy in the event of a mishap.

The engine’s heat would be used to warm the riders, and in the summer, an air conditioning system could be installed if the owners wished to keep the cockpit closed. Parts of the canopy could be darkened to reduce sun glare.

Riding on colder waters is more dangerous, so additional features could be developed to reduce risks of hypothermia if a rider inadvertently falls into the water. A new line of clothing designed for colder weather could also be introduced for extreme riders.

Ideally, the Aquafun would be powered by an electric motor that would take its energy from a fuel cell.

What It’s Used For

With the Aquafun, you would be able to ride your PWC year-round if you live in the south, and almost year-round if you live in [colder] northern regions. First responders could use it to carry out rescue missions along dangerous coasts (one version could be delivered without any hydrofoil). Developing such a machine would push the limits of existing personal watercrafts and open up lots of new possibilities.

The Designer

I would like to thank Adolfo Esquivel, who designed the Aquafun. Adolfo earned an Industrial design degree from Colombia and completed a postgraduate study on Events Design at the UQAM of Montreal. He currently works as a Senior Industrial Designer in Calgary Canada. Adolfo also created the design of the Ikaros skydiving glider and the Voyager virtual reality hotel concept.